Spring Snow Goose Migration Estimates

The numbers below are estimates of the spring snow goose migrations on Sand Lake refuge from 2008 to the present.

Spring Migration 2008 – Snow Goose Estimates

3/14 – 100,000

3/17 – 70,000

3/20 – 145,000

3/26 – 400,000

3/27 – 435,000

3/28 – 250,000

3/31 – 50,000

4/2 – 175,000

4/4 – 5000

4/8 – 10,000

Spring Migration 2009 – Snow Goose Estimates

3/17 – 50,000

3/20 – 50,000

3/21 – 150,000

3/30 – 750,000

4/3 – 250,000

4/7 – 150,000

Spring Migration 2010 – Snow Goose Estimates

3/17 – 20,000

3/22 – 280,000

3/25 – 150,000

3/30 – 8000

Spring Migration 2011 - Snow Goose Estimates

Due to extended winter conditions this year, the snow goose migration was very scattered this spring and the birds concentrated south of the refuge.

Spring Migration 2012 – Snow Goose Estimates

3/16 – 12,000

3/21 – 15,000

Spring Migration 2013 – Snow Goose Estimates

4/4 – 260,000

4/10 – 1,000,000+

4/11 – 100,000

4/12 – 500,000

4/15 – 100,000

No Spring Migration reports from 2014

Spring Migration 2015 – Snow Goose Estimates

3/10 – 30,000

3/16 – 5000

3/19 – 100,000

3/27 – 3000

3/31 – 700

4/10 – 2500

Spring Migration 2016 - Snow Goose Estimates

3/4 - 50,000

3/7 - 100,000

3/8 - 200,000

3/10 - 250,000

3/15 - 5000

Spring Migration 2017 - Snow Goose Estimates

3/8 - 50,000

3/20 - 300,000

3/23 - 250,000

3/28 - 100,000

3/30 - 5,000

Spring Migration 2018 - Snow Goose Estimates

Due to a late winter storm, snow geese briefly stopped at the Refuge before being forced to travel back south when the Refuge received about 10" of snow the first week of April. When they made their return trip north, they moved very quickly through the Refuge. On 4/12/2018, 3000-5000 birds were observed using the Refuge. By 4/20/2018, it was estimated most snow geese had made their way into North Dakota.

Spring Migration 2019 - Snow Goose Estimates

Due to extended winter conditions at Sand Lake Refuge, the snow geese migration concentrated to the surrounding counties as the birds made their way north. Only small, scattered flocks were observed near the Refuge in April as they made their way to North Dakota.